Think Inside the Box

The Speak Up! Prevention Coalition has launched a safe and secure collection and disposal program for unused medications called Think Inside the Box. The initiative represents a collaborative effort among Speak Up! partners, including The Village of Lake Bluff, City of Lake Forest, and the Lake Bluff and Lake Forest Police Departments, as well as the Save A Star Drug Awareness Foundation of Highland Park. The program has two goals:

to keep medication out of the hands of individuals who might otherwise become victims of prescription or other drug abuse

to provide residents with an environmentally sound disposal method for unused prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medication.

Drug collection boxes are located in the lobbies of the Lake Bluff Police Department, 45 E. Center Street and the Lake Forest Public Safety Building at 255 W. Deerpath Road. The collection boxes are available to residents for disposal of their unwanted medication any time, day or night, seven days a week.

National studies show that 70% of youth who report abusing these drugs get the medication from friends and family, often from a home medicine cabinet. If every household in our community takes two simple steps, we will significantly increase the safety of our youth:

First, reduce access to these drugs by safely disposing of unwanted medication and securing the prescription and OTC medication you keep in your home

Second, educate your children / grandchildren about the dangers of misusing these drugs

Many youth have the misperception that prescription and OTC drugs are safer to abuse than street drugs because they are prescribed by a doctor and/or manufactured by reputable firms.The misuse of these drugs is very dangerous, particularly because their use is often combined with alcohol or other substances.